Legalmente
by starsaligns
Summary: They all knew what Fate could throw at them firsthand, and all they could really ask inwardly was how in the world did they get themselves into this mess, and how in the world could they wade themselves through it in order to survive? Marriage Law Fic. HPGW, HGFW, RWOC, and many others
1. How Did We Get Into This Mess?

_Just a few author's notes before we begin._

_This is very AU after Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince, and Deathly Hallows. It is set in present time with the Trio because of references. Fred Weasley also didn't die._

_This is also my one and only disclaimer, and it implies to the whole of the story. Any character that you seem to recognize will not be mine. Harry Potter and everything in the universe is solely owned by JK Rowling. This is simply a work of fanfiction in her honor._

_Based on the Marriage Law challenge._

* * *

_**Chapter One**_

"_How Did We Get Into This Mess?"_

* * *

War always raged ragged on the participants more than the politicians that started it in the first place, but that didn't mean that life managed to stop itself from moving forward during and after it. Life had that funny way of carrying on even through the most darkest of times, considering that there would be people to execute through it. Life was fickle, something meant to be treasured, but always taken for granted; and no one knew that even more than the current occupants of a quaint country home on the outskirts of a small town in England, aptly named Ottery St. Catchpole.

Its occupants, mostly adorned with red, almost burning of color, in hair with the exceptions of a beautiful blonde, two gorgeous brunettes—one in a mess of curls and the other with a straight slickness that made her seem inhuman to have it as such—and a man with the most unruly of black hair, were currently in a mess of conversation. A man, the oldest of the bunch, haphazard with the stress of the war and old age, had been the voice of reason and tried to calm the sound until his wife had uttered the resounding words that quieted the house.

"Calm yourselves down!"

The children, always fearing their mother's anger, had made their way quiet before listening to the contents of their displeasure once again.

"That's all that we heard in the meeting at the ministry today", the man continued to speak out. His tone of voice had indeed returned sullen, mostly because there wasn't anything he could do now. The war had been over, but battles now still raged on. Though they weren't the combat battles in that sense, they still had the overwhelming feeling of exhaustion that came with it.

The deafening silence that fell upon the room now was maddening. The only sound that came through now was the ticking of the clock that stood upon the wall—the only muggle invention that managed to work through the magic that surrounded the home. The confusion on most of the faces still hung in the air until the youngest in the room, a girl with fire-red hair and stark blue eyes spoke out again.

"I still don't get it", Ginny Weasley voiced out after the silence. "I thought Kingsley was the Minister of Magic. Surely, he could repeal the law if-"

"But that's the point, Ginny", the man earlier spoke again. "The law is coming from the Minister himself, at the bequest of his cabinetry and the dwindling numbers of our population after the war."

Silence. There was nothing more than silence again and the young girl with sat back in her seat; not really caring to voice any more of her concern. There was no point. There was simply no point any longer. The law was going to be enacted, her worst fears coming to life.

"Someone explain this to me again", the curly haired brunette spoke again; and everyone in the room turned to her again.

"Did Hermione Granger not get something on the first try", a teasing tone came out from one of the twins in the room.

"Fred, stop", Ron Weasley went to speak out, but a finger was still on his lips at the amusement of his ex-girlfriend needing another explanation. That was one of the things that worried the family about the situation. With the new law intact, things would automatically be different. Relationships would change, and with circumstances beyond their control, what would happen to their friends and family?

The middle Weasley child, Percy, let his hand go over the other brunette in the room. He had only been married to Audrey—a muggle girl he had met in town—for only a few months. What would happen to them? "It's alright, Perce", his father spoke out, as if he was reading the male's mind. "Marriages already set would not be affected."

That gathered a sigh from the oldest Weasley child, Bill, and his wife Fleur—who was currently pregnant with their first child, though no one but the couple knew as of yet.

"But still", Ron continued to speak out, which brought all of the attention back to him. "What does it mean to the rest of us? What's going to happen?"

The second half of the set of twins spoke out then, bringing his cup of tea over to his mother. "It means what it means, Ronniekins. All of us are going to have to get married. One way or another. It seems-"

"-that we're-"

"-going to have-"

They were only interrupted by the triumpant squeal of Molly Weasley filling the kitchen. "Grandbabies!"

* * *

"Okay, Percy", a new voice rounded out to the others once the commotion had settled down. The only people in the room now were the children, sans Molly and Arthur because they both retreated back to their room for the evening. This voice had belonged to the second oldest Weasley, Charlie, who after the war, considered giving up his life with dragons for a position after the reconstruction of Hogwarts as the new Care of Magical Creatures professor. "Now that Mum and Dad are gone, we want all of the details of this law. Now."

Percy, not one to trifle with authority, sighed as loud as he could and looked to his siblings. He was desperate to help them out, considering that most of them would either be really happy or sordily angry with the outcome of the law and what it entitles. Giving them all of the information that he knew at their disposal was the least he would be able to do—and with the look of approval from his new bride, there wasn't anything he could do or say to get out of this. "Alright", he said after the sigh, holding his hands out in order to show that he meant peace. "If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask."

A snort came from the only male not related to the Weasley family, someone that was definitely not elated about this law at all. "I save the world, and now I'm forced to be married. Ain't it funny?"

Small laughter came in through the room, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. Again, all eyes fell to the person who knew the most about the law, all pairs eager to learn the full details of what was to come.

"Shacklebolt fears that with our numbers completely low and every pureblood besides our family procreating with one another, we'll have more chances in our lives to produce squibs; so, in order for life to move on so to speak, we have to start reproducing quickly, and as the wizarding world is still a bit old fashioned, he enacted a marriage law", the male began, pushing his glasses just slightly upward the bridge of his nose in order to be able to see everyone's expression correctly.

"So we have the chance to be able to make magic completely mighty, so to speak", Hermoine spoke out again, a look of disdain showing on Ron's face as well, remembering the monument that was in the grand hall of the Ministry of Magic when Pius Thicknesse had been sworn in as Minister of Magic.

Percy was the first person to shove that theory down. "No, you all have a choice in the matter. But the choice has consequences not only to you, but to the person who you were intended to marry all along. See, the pairings are all predicted beforehand—has anyone heard of the Red String of Fate theory?"

A soft smile was brought out of Audrey then, linking hands with her husband before speaking. "It's an old Chinese proverb. We are all connected to our intended with a red string and no matter how long, or how tangled it gets, it'll always lead you back to the person whom you were meant to be with all along."

That earned sighs from the females and groans from the males in the room.

"Fluffy jokes aside", George spoke out then. "How do we-"

"-actually figure out-"

"-who we're going-"

"-to be fucking for the rest of our lives then?"

Laughter rang out in the Burrow once again, this time the twins earning both looks of joy and disgust before Percy started to explain things again. "Instead of a red string, think of it as a blue quill. The Blue Quill of Destiny. Rowena Ravenclaw's to be exact. It's been predicting matches ever since Rowena and Helena Hufflepuff had been alive."

Though with their jokes and their anger aside for the night, they still had the lingering thoughts about the law looming through them. Fate, much like life, was a fickle thing that was always taken for granted and never really treasured like it should have been; but no one else knew what Fate could really deal with them, unlike the occupants of the small little village home, just outside the small town of Ottery St. Catchpole in England. They all knew what Fate could throw at them firsthand.

And all they could really ask inwardly was how in the world did they get themselves into this mess, and how in the world could they wade themselves through it in order to survive?


	2. Letters and Headaches

_I wanted to thank everyone who read through the first chapter of this story. I know it was long and tedious, but the background had to be set in order for this to be brought around. As always, I want to thank everyone who sent in a review, because they help me in so many ways. Constructive criticism is always welcomed as well. I always want to strive to become a better writer._

_Now, I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's a bit longer than the last one, and probably how each of the chapters will be from now on, meaning that each break would be kind of like a section for each couple affected by the marriage law—or any couple that wanted to be written that day._

* * *

_Chapter Two_

"_Letters and Headaches"_

* * *

Ginny Weasley walked about her bedroom in the house that she grew up in, utterly searching for the choice words that were needed of her. Granted, the news of this new marriage law had settled within her, and she completely—well, almost completely accepted it as such. If she wanted to retain her lifestyle, she had to follow along with the law, no matter how barmy she thought it was. There was no other way of going around around it. She was trapped.

She hated feeling trapped.

Ever since her first year at Hogwarts, Ginevra Molly Weasley had always felt the need to prove herself, that she was smarter, stronger than the circumstances that were handed to her. She wanted to feel strong, always proving that she had the Gryffindor courage that was required to be sorted in the house itself.

But this law—this law made her feel like that eleven year old girl that was brainwashed six years ago. She hated this feeling.

It was the only reason why she could be found burying herself into the rest of her studies and busying herself with anything she could get her hands on. She even started to get a handle on her knitting, and she hated knitting—which was very much to her mother's chagrin, who absolutely loved it and used it as a stress release when her children would bother her completely.

Now, she was alone, and she needed it to be able to figure out what she was going to say to the person she ended up getting paired with—and to her now ex-boyfriend that she had to face.

After the war, she and Harry had reconnected briefly, but that was it and nothing more ever really came out of it. There was no extension or label to what they were and what they had been doing with each other, and they never really felt the need to. She was going to back to school, he was going straight into training to become an auror for the Ministry of Magic. They were to make time as it went on, but the distraction with the law had stilled anything she wanted to do or say to him about what they were to each other—anything it all.

What if they were going to be placed with other people?

There was that probability that she and Harry were never really meant for one another, and her heart ached at that theory. This wasn't just some school girl crush that she had with him—but was it considered love?

She was barely sixteen—sixteen and a veteran of war who was arranged to be married to someone she barely even knew.

"Hell", she whined out then, licking her lips and falling down to the one of two beds that were in the room. Even before the war started, she and Hermione had ended up sharing a bedroom for a couple of weeks during the summer holidays. The change was only made permanent when the older brunette had nowhere else to turn to after the war.

How Ginny had wished her best girl friend was here right now to get her out of her thoughts, instead of doing God knows what with her brother.

And that just earned her a look of disdain from herself for even thinking as such.

"I thought I was the brooding one, and you're the one that's supposed to cheer me up", a voice spoke out, low and quiet, but the cheekiness to the tone had her only reeling and figuring out there was only one person in the world that could pull her out of her thoughts like this.

"Fuck off, Harry. You weren't supposed to be here for another half hour."

Harry James Potter only stood there at the doorway to her bedroom with a smug smile on his face, something that made him seem like a cross between both his father and his mother—from the pictures that she had ended up seeing—and all Ginny could do at this point was mimic a small smile to sit on her upright on her bed. "Why are you here early?"

"Curiosity got the better of me."

Of course, she couldn't expect anyone to wait after she had sent a message asking to speak to them. Anyone's own natural curiosity would get the better of them. "Right", she answered him before moving a bit in her seat in order for room. "I wanted to be logical and talk to you about this whole marriage law thing and-"

"-you're spending way too much time with Hermione."

The both of them let out a laugh until they fell into a comfortable silence. It wasn't awkward as anyone would have thought it to be. The maddening ticking of the alarm clock that was in her room—at Hermione's request—was the only sound that was there, until the ruffle of the sheets and the squeak of the springs on the bed resounded in the room when Ginny had made a move to hold Harry's hand while the two started on their conversation once more.

Harry was the first to break the silence. "You know, Ginny, whatever happens-"

"-we'll look back at this time and be thankful that we're alive and continue to be friends?"

But that was it. Ginny didn't know if she could just be friends with the boy in question. Nothing they've been through had ever been as strenuous as this. Throughout her years at Hogwarts, at least the redhead knew of the outcome that would happen. She always had the hope that they would be together—not because she needed to be saved, but that he'd see her as an equal.

But this was just scary.

"Ginny", Harry's voice pulled her from her thoughts again. "You've gone quiet."

"Since when are you so perceptive, Harry?" She had resorted back to the Weasley motto of joking her way out of an awkward situation, something she picked up from her twin brothers, but it didn't do well to diffuse the tension either. "There's nothing I could do or say to make this any easier for the both of us, Harry. We might be getting married to different people. What's the use?"

The silence fell upon the room again, the ticking being the only sound they heard until Harry let out a sigh. "We'll get through this. Like we've always done. Like we always will."

The look of pain and guilt on both of their faces were enough for the day. There were no ways out of this law, but the pair knew they had to do this; and no matter what happened, Fate was the deciding factor, and Fate never steered them wrong before.

* * *

The sun had beat down upon the curly haired brunette out in the barley fields of the Burrow. The summer sun was only growing in the sky as the season went on, something she was definitely grateful for. Hermione Granger would never admit it, but she adored the summer holidays more than anything. Summer meant the smell of freshly mowed grass and the peppermint floss that her parents had always adapted to carrying around with them whenever they would come home from work. Summer meant that she would be able to carry around and do what she wanted, meaning she wouldn't be bogged down with studies and keeping Ron and Harry with them as well.

Not that she didn't adore studying and learning. She relished in it.

And true to Hermione fashion, summer meant new quills, new parchment, and new books in order to enchant herself with—something she would get for herself after everything had been situated once again.

While Harry and Ron were grateful for their honorary Hogwarts diplomas, she wanted to get hers the right way. She happily declined the notion when McGonagall offered, and who were her friends to stop her in doing so? The memory even brought a smile to her lips, something faint at the memory before she was brought out of them by a voice.

"Still reading alone?"

Hermione brought her brown eyes over to the voice, having her smile grow wider when she found the owner to be Ron Weasley. "No", she offered out, turning her attention back to her book. "You're here. I could hardly consider that being alone now, can I?"

The teasing had far become easier for both he and her now. After that epic final battle, and his labeling of her as his girlfriend during a fight, the two in question did decide to have a go at a relationship.

They were blissfully happy for a good month or so, until they mutually decided to end things.

Ron let out a chuckle and that earned another smile out of Hermione. After the relationship, and the fact that they had grown up so fast in that short year on the run, the arguments became sparse. Maybe it was because they didn't have that expectation of them anymore.

And Hermione was very glad she didn't have to be so harsh on anyone anymore.

"What", she asked of him then, shifting on the blanket below her as if she wanted him to sit down, and he graciously took the hint.

Ron merely shook his head, bringing his knees to his chest and twirling his wand between his fingers. It was more or less an extension of him now, something she expected as everyone took to doing the same as well—carrying their wands everywhere. "Nothing", he whispered out. "It's just weird, you know?"

"What's weird?"

"Hermione Jean Granger cracking jokes."

In retaliation, Hermione bumped her shoulder into Ron's, but the look of amusement was still upon her face. Their ease of friendship had been both a blessing and a curse for the brunette. Yes, it was great that she and Ron would always be friends, no matter what the circumstances brought them in, but with the marriage law looming over them, who would she end up with? Was she ready to know such a thing?

Would anyone her age be ready to know?

"Sickle for your thoughts?"

Hermione cleared her throat, shaking her head at Ron's question now. "Keep the sickle", she started to speak, her tone of voice just whispering so that he could only hear. Her attention was no longer with her book, but more on the horizon in front of her. "Just thinking about the letters that are going to be sent out soon and what's going in them."

Ron sighed, and even then managed a rub to Hermione's shoulders. Of course, she wasn't the only one reeling from this, but it was nice knowing that she wasn't alone in her concerns. She stayed completely silent, but still allowed Ron to be as attentive as he could be.

That was something she had recently learned about him that she admired. Ron was never attentive or as affectionate unless he was on the same emotional level as the other—and even then, she found that she liked this Ron better than the Ron that had just noticed she was a girl back in the Yule Ball and her anger got the most of her.

"I could always hex him for you if you hate him, you know."

And leave it to him to ruin such a peaceful moment.

"No, I'll be okay Ron. I swear", Hermione spoke out then, letting small giggles escape her. "Though, the thought of you hexing someone for me is definitely noble of you. What if it turns out to be you, then?"

"I'm sorry, darling, but I would not hex myself if you're stuck with me."

The smirk on Ron's face now had managed to have Hermione roll her eyes at him; but that was another thought that had crossed her mind earlier. She knew that Ron and her would never work, and judging by the look on his own face now, he figured the same. Soulmates were supposed to have a spark, and she couldn't help but replay what Audrey and said days ago in her head.

'When it's your soulmate, you just know.'

And though Ron drove her absolutely mad at times, he didn't give her that feeling of wanting to jump off a cliff—like Fleur had said of her and Bill's courtship.

Call Hermione a hopeless romantic, but she wanted that epic love story that she's always read about in her books.

However still, Ron managed to keep a hand on Hermione's frame, and that had honestly felt completely soothing to her. If anything, she could always count on the male beside her now to be an ear of confidence, and to be that strong presence that she definitely needed at times.

And though they weren't together anymore, it was nice to be as close to someone in times of turmoil.

"Don't you worry about it, Hermione. It's supposed to work like Percy said, right?" That had perked Hermione's head up a bit. "They're using Ravenclaw's quill, aren't they? Isn't she supposed to be the smartest witch ever? And Kingsley isn't going to let anything happen to us. He fought on our side, remember?"

Hermione only mused out at Ron's words, grateful that he was trying to take his time with her and comfort her, and it almost made her regret the insult that she had given to him earlier in their lives—about him having the emotional range of a teaspoon, which he clearly was showing he had more so (maybe just a tablespoon)-until she heard his latest words.

"Wonder if the future wife would know how to cook?"

She hadn't realized the laugh she let out then, glad to know that things still haven't changed between the both of them. Ron bumped her shoulder playfully, as if to let her know that he had appreciated the fact that he did make her laugh as such and she was definitely glad to have her mind off of the marriage law that had been enacted. She merely only returned the favor, bumping her shoulder against his before resting into a comfortable silence while watching the sun set over the horizon.

None of them figured out that there had been a pair of blue eyes looking at them from the kitchen window at the burrow with immense curiosity.

* * *

Fredrick Gideon Weasley was but a simple man with simple ideals and dreams that always ended up enacted, simply because he wished them happen. In his seventh year of Hogwarts, he disagreed with the punishments and consequences that had been enforced by Dolores Umbridge that he had managed to convince his twin to drop out, but not after they both let it known where the old bat can shove her wand when she wasn't using it. He had a dream of opening up his own business with his twin brother, and he made it happen after a small loan from Gringotts Bank—which they both ended up repaying back after two months of opening Weasley's Wizard Wheezes at 93 Diagon Alley. He wanted to fight the war on the Light side and joined the Order of the Phoenix, and after much fighting with his mother about actually joining and fighting (because they were still her babies), he joined and saw the end to the hysteria that the Dark Lord-Who-Didn't-Get-Laid-Enough created. Hell, even he was wounded in said war and had willed himself to live, simply because he had wished to be.

So one would be happy that they should have that much luck, right? The look on his face as he watched his younger brother with his friend in the backyard proved otherwise.

It wasn't so much as a scowl that was on Fred's face as he watched the antics that Ron and Hermione were getting into. It was much less menacing than that. No, Fred Weasley was, more or less, jealous of the relationship that his little brother had—not that he was interested in his choice of female companion at all.

Even if he did find Hermione completely gorgeous—which he did, but wasn't going to admit it—he wouldn't encroach on his brother's territory like that. It was bro code—and no one dared to break bro code.

It was the fact that Ron had seemed so at ease with the whole of the situation that was happening in the wizarding world. Of course, he probably realized that he had seen his soulmate or whomever the letter had paired him up already. That was something he figured was the least of Ron's worries. Probably he and Hermione were going to be paired up and have ickle Weasley babies that he would evidently spoil with his Wheezes in order to piss off the both of them that day.

Suddenly, he didn't feel so good. His stomach bubbled and churned, but he thought nothing of it but nerves.

"What's going on, Gred?"

The name and voice broke him out of his thoughts, shrugging his shoulders before reluctantly pulling away from the window. "Wondering if ickle Ronniekins is going to elope with Hermione or not to avoid the letter tonight, that's all."

The tone of his voice was forlorn, even pained at the thought, but he merely passed it up to the fact that he wouldn't be there to embarrass his brother at his wedding if he did indeed elope with the brightest witch of the age.

And the brightest witch of the age should know better than to elope with someone who had a wedding crazed matriarch running around giggling at everything since last night.

Thankfully, George didn't pick up on the tone—twin psychic powers, his ass—and the two went on to plan more tricks for the shop if they were to reopen soon. They had most of the opening planned out before the backdoor opened and they were joined by Ron and Hermione at the table.

"Have the letters come yet", Hermione spoke out and Fred shook his head to answer. He was on the lookout for the letters all day. Surely, he wouldn't have missed something so important as the pivotal point to his future. "No", he mumbled out afterwards, which ended up causing a stir in its own right. Sweet Merlin, he was allowed to be upset at the law and show it, wasn't he?

"I know an owl when I see one, kiddies, so wipe the shock from your faces. It's not the apocalypse if I don't make a joke, yeah?"

"Who died and made you Grumpy Gus?"

His confusion towards the brunette was only mirrored by both of his brothers in the kitchen. Ron moved to sit by George while that left Hermione in close range to him.

Honestly, he wasn't going to complain if there was a pretty girl sitting beside him.

In fact, he'd prefer it.

Maybe even more so if they came like Hermione.

"Whoa, Freddy. You're breaking bro code."

Fred managed to whip his head to George so quick, it was completely amazing to him that he didn't get whiplash. "You mopey is no. You mopey, me mopey. Me no wanna be mopey, so no mopey."

"Yeah, you git."

"Honestly", Hermione rolled her eyes at George and Ron, while Fred just managed to shake his head. Yes, there were times when he barely felt in sync with George, but that was completely normal.

He was his own person too.

As he was about to reply, the screech of the ministry owl was overhead throughout the house. His eyes just merely widened larger than before and his bottom lip quivered to whisper out slowly.

"The mail's here."

* * *

_'That letter. That fucking letter._

_'Look at it just staring at you like a smart ass. Yeah, thinking it's so fucking tough._

_'Well, I got news for you, Letter. You can fuck off cause you don't own me. You don't control me. I'm a grown ass man. I don't need to be told who my soul mate is and I definitely don't need anyone telling me when the fuck I wanna get married. So, Let. Ter. You can shove the law up your-_

"Charles!"

The scream that his mother let out had brought him out of his thoughts. The scowl on his face never disappeared. Here he was, trying to square his life away after being gone in Romania for so long, and now his mother was practically forcing him to get married.

It was the law, sure, but his mother might as well had written it herself.

He inwardly groaned, shaking his head at her before changing expressions. "I'm not ready", he stated out, looking back at the other occupants in the room. Though he prided himself on the bravery that required him to work with dragons for the better part of his life, he wasn't exactly going to lie when he said he was absolutely terrified of the name that was contained in that letter.

That letter.

That damn letter.

If he could fucking banish it, he would.

"Charles", Molly Weasley spoke out again. "It doesn't matter if you're ready or not. Life happens either way. It's what you choose to do with life that makes you who you are. Opportunities come whether you're ready or not."

"And you chose the shortest straw, mate."

He brought his eyes over to Fred and sighed softly. Of course he realized his mother was right. Life did go on, even if he didn't want it to. Look at what happened to his best friend—Nymphadora Tonks was the prime example of life going on, no matter the consequence. Even if she wasn't married to Remus Lupin, even if she wasn't dead, her life would have went on. Maybe, she would have given up being an Auror and then maybe they would have ended up keeping that deal they made in fifth year during a Charms lesson.

Life went on, and she got married, and then she died.

He didn't say life was fun.

"Fine", Charlie mumbled out then and grabbed his letter off the table, staring at it right when he wanted to pick at the seal and just rip it open. Something was stopping him from doing so.

Fear was stopping him from doing so.

Yes, Charles Septimus Weasley was afraid of life and moving on. Was that so weird?

"Well", George spoke out then, fumbling with his own unopened letter in his hands. "Go on then."

"I'll go on when I'm good and ready."

"Charles", his mother's warning poured out and instantly he cowered. It was now or never.

He would have chose never if he really did have the choice.

Charlie's fingers made instant work on the letter, breaking the Ministry seal that had been staring at him ever since Molly Weasley had pried the letters off the owl that had came just a few minutes earlier. Though he took his time in tearing out the letter great fold, he was going as slow as he could to instantly scan the letter quickly.

"Well", Ron said out then. "What does it really say?"

Charlie sighed softly, turning his attention towards his family, and started out in reading his letter. At least it would give everyone an indication of what was to come.

He just envied Bill and Percy so much at the moment.

"_Dear Mr. Charles Weasley-"_

Fred and George snuck in a quick snort of laughter before he glared at them to shut the fuck up.

"_As you may have heard through the Daily Prophet and our press release earlier in the day, the Ministry of Magic, through the acceptance of the magical Wizengamot and the Minister of Magic himself, a magical law has been passed that cites all magical citizenry wishing to keep their magical powers are required to be paired up and enter into a marriage by the year marking of this letter._

"_Enclosed are the various pamphlets and other information needed in case you still have any questions regarding this law._

"_Regarded as such, we have used the utmost means in order to be able to pick the best choice for you and please put faith in the Wizengamot, the ministry, and the Minister when we say that we have done everything in our power to prove these matches are best._

"_Mr. Charles Weasley-"_

Again, another snort from Fred and George.

"_Mr. Charles Weasley, your match and future wife is Miss Brooklyn Hawthorne-_

And just like that, he dropped his letter down. Why did that name seem so familiar?"

* * *

That night, a rather largely stout man strolled along the balcony of his childhood home, a glass of fire whiskey in his hand as he looked onward to the horizon in front of him. His eyes showed exhaustion, but there was nothing he could do at this point. He was only acting on what his predecessor had left for him to finish.

"Are you sure I'm doing the right thing, Albus?"

And just like that, he thought he saw a twinkle out of the corner of his eye and the man let out a sigh.

"If you think so."

* * *

_Thanks for reading! Please review._


	3. Mysterious Names

_As always, thanks for everyone who managed to read and review this story. Many thanks also to the ones who've either favorited or followed. I'm trying to get things out on a timely matter, updating at least once a week. Hopefully, people would enjoy it as such._

_I also promise that the story will pick up on its humor. I have a lot of things planned out and are going to be writing them out._

_Here we go._

* * *

_Chapter Three_

"_Mysterious Names"_

* * *

"So, I got Angelina Johnson."

Lucky son of a bitch his twin was. Fred Weasley sat there, mouth agape slightly when George had read the letter that he had gotten. Sure, he was happy for him, even if he didn't seem like it. Angelina was a great person, dedicated in whatever she wanted to set her heart on, and one of the most intelligent people he knew-

-sans Hermione Granger.

His twin was only lucky because he had someone that they both knew, and at least he'd be okay with. The only thing that was messing with the dynamic of the group so far. Charlie was already reeling from his own letter.

But of course he and George already shared a look after Charlie's announcement, vowing not tell their older brother just who Brooklyn Hawthorne really was.

However, back to the subject at hand.

He quickly gained back his thoughts and turned back to George. "Congratulations, mate", he went on to speak out. "You just have to ask the Weasley she dated before for permission."

"Permission", his twin spoke and already Fred was grinning wide.

Fred wasn't always one to tease his twin—he shared a womb with the man, for goodness sakes—but this was just too good of an opportunity to pass up. His mischievous side was kicking up now, and he was never one to suppress it when it came around.

"Come on, George", he started on his words again. "Remember back. You'll figure it out." He even added an extra wink to heighten the cheese at the situation, but it wasn't until he earned a smack on the back of the head from his mother that a scowl appeared on his face.

That hurt him so much, he brought a hand to rub his head.

"You'll know better than to tease your brother, Fredrick Gideon", Molly Weasley spoke out then, reprimanding her son, but she knew it was more than futile. Fred had his own planning.

But teasing was his thing, and it was so easy to do so at the moment. In fact, he had every right to, considering George was paired up with his old girlfriend.

Okay, so they had one date to the Yule Ball in his sixth year, but still. It was Bro Code. A Bro shall not date another Bro's ex girlfriend, unless said Bro asks for permission.

And leave it to him to be the better man.

"You're not seriously holding that over my head, are you", George stated out, making sure that Fred wasn't going to at least hold this over his head for their rest of their lives. "You know it's not my fault. It's the pairing."

And Fred only sat quiet with the smirk still on his face. "She's losing out on the better twin."

"Fred's just jealous, George. Don't worry about it", Ron interjected before shrugging. There wasn't a way to sugar coat it either, but Fred Weasley was hardly jealous. He couldn't care less that his twin was with his pseudo ex-girlfriend. If George wanted her, he could have her.

Bro code just stated he could take the mickey out of his twin for it, if he wanted; and he was damn sure going to live it up to its greatest potential.

"Not jealous, Ronniekins. Pretty stoked, but hardly jealous."

It wasn't until much longer that he realized what was to happen. After George, it was his turn to open his own letter, and then his face paled.

Was he ready to take on this responsibility? Hell no.

Was he going to take it on anyway because that was just the kind of man he was? Fuck yeah.

"I'll wait to write Angie until after everyone reads their letter", George spoke out before turning his attention away from everyone. It was like George took his fear and felt it, because he was staring at Fred and it was making him damn well nervous about it.

It didn't help that Charlie was mumbling on the other side of him, trying to remember the name in question. Wow, his brother must have been in the sun for too damn long.

Or spent too many of his hours with dragons. That must be it.

"What", Fred started out again, looking towards the other occupants of the room. "I almost died", he emphasized, remember back to the Final Battle. If he didn't move out of the way of that wall that last minute, who knows what would have happened to him? "For that, I should be allowed to go last."

"Yeah, but I did die and came back to life. Plus, I called it", the voice from the corner table let out.

Fred let out a scowl at Harry and clenched his fists together. "Shut it, Potter. No one likes a prat."

And he got hit by his sister this time, in the same spot as his mother earlier. Merlin, were all women in his family that abusive?

"Gin", Fred whined out. "What the hell was that for?"

"Shut it, Fred. No one likes a prat."

He only managed to scrunch his face afterward, taking the letter labeled with his name with the utmost speed he could muster. He tore it open with the same speed. If they all wanted to know, they could have opened it themselves; but then they would face Azkaban for reading mail not to them.

"Dear Mr. Fredrick Weasley", he growled out at the his full name. "Blah, blah, blah", he continued on, droning on about the law itself. Every letter seemed generic, like they were copy and pasted. The only thing differed about it was the names that were specific in the letter themselves. "More ministry mumbo jumbo. Here are your death wishes. You are to marry Hermione Granger."

He didn't even realize what he said until three seconds later. His eyes widened and his hands ended up bringing the paper to his eyes again. He read and reread, and reread, and reread again.

Hermione?

The girl right in front of him, Hermione?

His brother's best friend, ex-girlfriend, and the same girl who threatened to tattle on him and his twin when they were together in school because she disagreed with a few pranks he came up with?

That Hermione Granger?

The letter did say her name. There was no way around it. He was going to marry Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age, who could probably hex him to the next dimension if he didn't do whatever she wanted.

"Merlin, help me."

* * *

"Excuse me", Hermione spoke out, almost quite offended at Fred's latest comment about them being together.

She had always been so thought out, well spoken, and knew how to form her words before speaking. Needless to say, she was always well-knowing; but this was more than a total shock.

This was just utter surprise.

She never would have thought she was destined to marry Fred Weasley; but then again, she never realized she was destined for any other Weasley, other than Ron. It was the same reason why she was nervous earlier that day.

But Fred? Fred was just Ron's older brother. To her, it was like the twins were just there, teasing her out of good nature—and she returned their jests with some of her own, sometimes. Hell, they were two good looking boys and every single girl in the Gryffindor Common Room wanted a piece of them, except for Ginny because that was just weird.

She was into her books, but she wasn't blind.

When Fred had spoken her name, she snatched her letter and opened it, confirming his words with the ones in her own letter. Everything was definitely true. She was to marry Fred Weasley within the year.

At least it wasn't Malfoy, not that Fred was any worse. At least Fred wouldn't hex her and call a Mudblood whore.

Then again, some people were into that; and she made a face when her thoughts carried over to such a thing.

"It's true though", she whispered out. "I'm meant to marry Fred."

The room was silent then, everyone turning their heads to look at her and two certain redheads to see what their reactions were. Fred was deadpan, and all she wanted to know was what was running through his mind, because hers was going a mile a minute.

If the pamphlets and everything the ministry had said was true, then that meant that Fred was her soulmate, her true intended, the person she was to be with for the rest of her life, and that just terrified her.

Not because it was Fred, she really couldn't ask to be a part of a better family.

But it was Fred. Yes, she just contradicted herself.

She barely knew him, other than the part where he was a notorious prankster, who had that bad boy streak to him that most girls swooned after; but was it practical? Especially if he was Ron's older brother?

Oh fuck, he's Ron's brother.

But Ron just sat there, mirroring Fred's expression on his face before speaking. "Congratulations, mate", he started out then. He was mimicking Fred earlier, sharing a look with George before leaning back to stand up in his seat. He patted Fred's back soft before leaning in. "You just have to ask the Weasley she dated first for permission."

And the ear piercing scream from Mrs. Weasley, who was more than excited of the prospect of Fred and Hermione together brought everyone out of their thoughts; but the nervousness within Hermione didn't dare to go away. She turned her attention to Fred, but he mirrored her expression of confusion, fear, and mostly surprised and morbid curiosity.

This wasn't going to be easy. Not at all.

* * *

Harry James Potter let out a small sigh after the commotion had started. Hermione was intended to be with Fred and it would have been worse. At least she was with someone that was able to keep her safe.

And that was what he wanted for his friends—for them to be safe.

Now he knew he couldn't force either Ron nor Ginny to open their letters quick, but the anticipation had been killing him. What Fred had said had gotten to his head earlier. It really wasn't fair to everyone that he called the last spot to open the letter.

True, the only reason he wanted Ron and Ginny to go before him was more for curiosity's sake than anything else. What if Ginny had been assigned to someone other than himself? He wouldn't know what to do in that situation had it been true.

Harry was never one to be selfish; but it was time he was allowed to be, even if it was because he wanted safety for his friends and his relationship.

Hell, if it wasn't for the law, he would have asked Ginny out on a proper date already—well, assuming if he didn't fuck up the process, and he got the actual chance to be alone with her for more than thirty minutes at a time.

However, he was relishing in the fact that it wasn't him getting the attention and the stares from everyone, glad to be invisible for just that moment. Yes, all of his life, before he was eleven, he was ignored, never acknowledged; and now, he couldn't go into Diagon Alley without being pulled for pictures. He didn't say he hated it, but he could do without it.

But as everyone started on Fred and Hermione, he stole his own letter off of the table and stared at it in his hands. He didn't open it, but a few more thoughts did run through his head. What would his parents think of this? Would Sirius be in his position too had he survived? What advice could Remus had given him about this?

What was to happen to the future families that were affected because of the war and this law?

His soft smile turned into a frown a the thought. It was because of him that this law had been enacted, but it was because of Lord Moldy Shorts as well. Hell, would this law even needed to have happened had he never been born? Never existed at all? Would everyone just be better without him?

It was only Ginny's touch that saved him now, her hand placed on his thigh had caused all of those brooding thoughts out of his head. This was where he was clearly meant to be—and how Fate and Life had wanted him to be enact it as such, and it was how he was going to play it out. What was that saying again?

Now or never?

While everyone edged on, Ginny's hand on his knee, and Ron and Fred arguing about Hermione (whom, by the way was inching closer and closer to Charlie to hide the blush that was creeping on her frame, probably to hide), he just managed to tear his letter open and began to read.

The letter started out the same—the greeting, the explanation of the law—but the name on the letter was the shock of the night for him.

Suddenly, he didn't feel the need to brood anymore.

For the first time in his life, fate and life was on Harry Potter's side (he wasn't counting the whole Chosen One bit at all) and he was beaming in both joy and relief.

Because Harry James Potter had already known who his soulmate was, and that was all that mattered to him.

"Hey, Gin", he whispered out to her, giving her his opened letter when she turned towards him.

Green eyes were still glittering with glee and elation as he saw her reach the point of the letter.

"Harry James Potter. I love you."

And that was enough for silence the room once again, because he answered her confession with just one searing kiss.

* * *

"Oy, get off", Ronald Bilius Weasley let out before pulling his best friend away from his little sister. There was no simply denying that he wasn't happy for them—because he certainly was—but it was his baby sister. He didn't want to see her tongue down his best mate's throat.

Or anyone else's throat for that matter.

The stork was going to bring her babies to her. That's right.

"Harry, it's nice that you're going to be family, but you should not snog Ginny at the table."

Charlie agreed with Ron wholeheartedly. "Please. We eat here—and we don't want to castrate you until the requirements of the law are met."

The twins merely nodded and Hermione tutted out. Only Ron knew what that meant—someone was going to get into trouble—and he was happy he wasn't going to be on the receiving end of that for much longer.

Sucks to be Fred. Thankfully, he wasn't going to let it slip by and all he was going to simply do was watch.

Of course, he would be the last person to open his letter, but wasn't that some sort of poetic justice anyway? Everyone knew what their life was like and what it was going to be like, but he simply had no clue.

Hermione and Ginny were going back to school, though with the weddings he had no clue how that was going to work. Harry was to be an auror, which was cool and all; but he wanted no part in wrangling dark wizards for a while. And Fred and George didn't need any help at all with the shop.

That just left him in the dust, which was sort of poetic justice. He was never his friends, the hunt for horcruxes proved it. Though he lacked direction and where to go, he had the motivation and the will to go. He just needed the push or someone to tell him thus so.

Now, he just had the motivation to do nothing but relax under the sun and see where life would take him. Then, the marriage law came out of the blew. Now, he was forced to find a job, support a family—all in the span of a year or so. Cut a bloke a break. There was no way he would be able to work out a relationship in a year.

Hell, it took him seven years with Hermione.

He was never great at anything like that until he actually had to read a self-help book that Fred and George had given him. Even then, they piled on the cheese, as Hermione spoke to him about it once. How was he to figure out how to talk with his soulmate, nonetheless with another girl?

As soon as the mention of Harry and Ginny's engagement died down, he grabbed the remaining letter and opened it. With the ongoing looks of his mother and the rest, her merely scanned it before someone cleared their throat.

"Well", Molly Weasley spoke out, curiosity to the soft tone now she used with her youngest son.

He simply didn't comment it before confusion had set in. "Theres an inexplicable notion, Mr. Weasley", he spoke out, reading the letter out loud to everyone who wanted to listen. "That our methods have indicated that your match is of muggle decent, meaning she has no contact and no lineage with the magical world at all. Contact with Miss Samantha Woodward has been made and explained. If you could report to the ministry for further explanation at your earliest convenie-"

The letter was snatched from his hands by his mother; and he just sat there, mouth agape at the woman. How can she do such a thing? It was his letter, after all, and it was up to him to be able to read it how fast and slow as he damned well pleased.

However, the look on his mother's face silenced whatever he wanted to speak to her, and fear crept all over his frame. She turned it all over to everyone at this point, and no one dared to move from their spot. "You scare her away, I will ground you all until you're all as old as your grandfather Septimus. Do I make myself clear?"

Seven heads nodded back at the woman before she walked out of the room, humming about all of the wedding preparations that needed to happen.

"Let's call it a night, yeah", Ron let out then, being the first to stand up and walk up the stairs. He was still shaken that he ended up in this position, but at least he was going to start fresh, somewhat anew because of the situation she was dealt with.

He just hoped that this Samantha girl was up to the challenge.

* * *

_This chapter is a bit shorter than last time, but next one should be a small time jump. Please read and review! It would mean the world to me._


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